Tiger Balm
Tiger Balm ( Chinese 虎 標 萬金油 / 虎 标 万金油 , Pinyin Hǔbiao Wànjīnyóu - "Tiger Balsam") is the brand name of an ointment for rubbing in for colds , insect bites or pain in muscles and joints.
It was developed in the 1870s by the druggist Aw Chu Kin ( 胡子欽 / 胡子钦 , Hú Zǐqīn ) in Rangoon and after the death of the inventor it was manufactured industrially by the Singapore- based pharmaceutical company Haw Par Healthcare , which was operated by his sons Aw Boon Haw (胡文虎, Hú Wénhǔ ) and Aw Boon Par (胡 文 豹, Hú Wénbào ) and whose best-known product is Tiger Balm . None of the products contain ingredients derived from tigers . "Tiger" (chin. 虎, hǔ ) is the meaning of the second character (Haw, 虎, hǔ ) of the first name Boon Haw of the son Aw Boon Haw. Tiger Balm is sold in Germany by Queisser Pharma (Doppelherz) and in Switzerland by Doetsch Grether AG.
The whitish ointment contains menthol , camphor , cajeput oil , other essential oils and petroleum jelly . A red version is also available, which also contains a reaction product made from Chinese cinnamon oil . The white variant has a cooling effect and is suitable for example. B. to relieve pain after mosquito bites and respiratory infections such as ENT (ear, nose and throat) and Tiger Balm can relieve headaches. The red ointment has a warming effect and is therefore suitable for B. for use in tension. For the use of menthol-containing ointments against nail fungus, there is currently no sufficient proof of effectiveness.
Contraindications
The ointment is only intended for external use and any contact with eyes and open wounds should be avoided. In one study, it caused small skin infections / allergies in around 0.5% to 1.5% of the test subjects. Keep it away from children under seven years of age. Pregnant and nursing mothers should ask their doctor or pharmacist in advance whether an application can be approved.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Schattner P. / Randerson D .: Tiger Balm as a treatment of tension headache. A clinical trial in general practice. Aust Fam Physician. 1996 Feb; 25 (2): 216, 218, 220 passim. PMID 8839380 (Eng.)
